The Heart of the Kingpin
by Katie Dean
Summary: A modern "whodunit" starring some of Peter Parker's more notable (and less notable) supporting cast. Felicia Hardy, Janice Yanizeski, Phil Urich, and Wilson Fisk recount their stories as Detective Bolt tries to get to the bottom of a drug smuggling ring. Will love prevail over wealth?
1. Chapter 1

A few days ago.

"State your name, please."

The woman with bright, platinum blond hair sitting at the table in the interrogation room rolled her blue eyes at the detective sitting in front of her. "You know my name."

The detective tapped the recording device on the table between them. He was several days past needing a shave but otherwise not like any cop she would have expected. Hell, this would have gone a whole lot more smoothly if Detective Walter Bolt was anything like she'd expected: a grizzled, overweight veteran popping heart medication like Smarties and grumbling about how he was only days away from retirement. Sure, men like that had no interest in women like her but it would make him cautious and more likely to back down. After all, this was the Kingpin they were dealing with. Only ambitious, young cops with nothing to lose and everything to gain like the handsome man wearing the hell out of that dress shirt and trench coat combination that detectives loved so much dared to go this aggressively after the Kingpin.

Bolt would find out soon enough that even when you thought you had nothing to lose, you could lose everything.

"Felicia Hardy."

"Age?" Bolt continued, sitting back in the metal folding chair. He folded his arms across his chest. Today, he was wearing a blue dress shirt with thin green vertical stripes under his trenchcoat. As Felicia opened her mouth to speak, he added, "And if you say 'old enough to know better but young enough to do it anyway,' this interview is over."

Felicia huffed. "Twenty-three." Bolt raised an eyebrow at her. She sighed. "Twenty-seven."

Bolt reached up and switched the recording device off. "Ms. Hardy, I understand that this is difficult for you-"

"Difficult?" Felicia spat, standing angrily away from the table. She smoothed the front of the red minidress she had worn to be cliche and was now regretting as she tried to calm herself. She took a deep breath. "You're asking me to testify against a very dangerous man because you've threatened to take away the only thing I can't live without. What this is, Detective Bolt, is impossible."

Bolt stood up and walked around the table to place a hand on Felicia's elbow. "Please. Have a seat and let's talk about something more pleasant first. We can talk about Ben."

Felicia waved a hand dismissively as Bolt guided her back to her own folding chair. "Absolutely not. Ben is off-limits."

"I understand, Ms. Hardy. But we will have to discuss him at some point. His involvement is critical to our case."

"Don't patronize me, Detective Bolt." Felicia reached for police station coffee, grimacing into the contents of the paper cup before taking a tentative sip. "This is vile, for your information." She put the cup back down on the table. "This is _your_ case. I am here under protest."

"Duly noted," Bolt acknowledged as he returned to his own seat. He switched the recording device back on. "Well, as this is my case, why don't we start where I want to start. Tell me about Mrs. Yanizeski."

Felicia flashed her teeth in an expression that might have been a smile had it touched her eyes. "I find it fascinating that you boys always want to know about her first." Detective Bolt waggled his fingers in her direction, a gesture that clearly said, _Get on with it_. Felicia cleared her throat. "Well, of course you know that I didn't meet her as Mrs. Yanizeski. Right from the beginning, she was always Janice..."


	2. Chapter 2

A year ago.

Janice Yanizeski had been separated from her wife for about three months. In those three months, Janice had been frequenting a club called the Kingpin's Lounge. It was the first bar she had happened upon in moving into her new apartment and, since she'd not really made many friends since moving to New York City, it had seemed a reasonable place to go get a drink and drown her sorrows. That it was a gentlemen's club only made it better. She could focus on the Kingpin's prettiest girls rather than a wife who wouldn't return her calls.

When asked later, Janice wouldn't be able to remember the first couple of weeks. It was all just a blur of drunken tumbling to and from the Lounge, bouncing naked flesh, and nasty headaches in the morning. Janice considered going back home to Arizona on the best days and considered calling Annabelle Riggs, already back to using her maiden name, to call her a selfish bitch on the worst days. Janice did neither of those things. She just kept going to Kingpin's Lounge.

Kingpin's Lounge was a classy establishment, a little bit of Vegas in New York. The club was clean and the security kept it relatively clear of dirtbags. Well, the kind of dirtbags that would mistreat or otherwise harm the ladies. Wilson Fisk, the owner, was very protective of the women who worked for him. While Janice was sure that there was some other less than sterling activity happening at the Lounge, there was a clear rule that it was not to involve the women. It was because of that rule that it attracted some of the most beautiful women Janice had ever seen into its employ.

The night that everything changed for Janice was Felicia Hardy's first night of work. She was sitting in a booth by herself, nursing her fourth Amaretto on the rocks, when the lights dimmed dramatically. She looked up at the mainstage, where spotlights had dropped onto the curtain. "If I may have your attention, Lounge Lizards," the announcer's voice boomed over the loudspeakers. "This kitty cat is sure to make you purr. This is her debut at the Kingpin's Lounge and I know you will all want to welcome her generously. Please say hello to the Black Cat!"

The crowd went wild as the curtains were drawn and the spotlights dropped, revealing the silhouette of a curvy woman with one hand on her hip and the other over her head. The music lowered as the woman stepped down the stage as the spotlights came back up, highlighting long, shapely legs before pausing at the Black Cat's hips. She wore a black thong with a white fur-lined waistband, rocking those hips as she walked her way further into the spotlight.

Janice leaned forward at her table as the woman came into the light. The slinky top she wore, sheer black material with matching white fur lining over the shoulders and down the front, covered a simple black bikini top. And while the spotlight remained over the most perfect, round breasts Janice had ever seen before, it was when the light reached the Black Cat's face that made all the difference in the world.

The Black Cat's skin shone from the heat of the lights but it didn't cast a glow the way her bright smile did. She gave a wave and a wiggle of her behind before shrugging the top off of her shoulders. As it dropped to the ground, the music was cranked high amid a cheer from the crowd. The blond bombshell gripped the pole at center stage and gave a twirl with an arm outstretched. After a quick spin, she pressed herself flat against the pole before dropping into a split, one arm up along the pole and the other behind her as her back arched.

"Another Amaretto, miss?" a voice startled Janice from the Black Cat's performance. She tore her gaze away to acknowledge the waitress, a scantily-clad redhead who wore pigtails and a schoolgirl outfit.

"Uh, no." Janice sat up more in her seat and drained the remainder of her glass. She pushed it aside and handed the waitress her tip. "Thank you, I think I've had enough."

The waitress shrugged and began to walk away. Janice reached her hand up. "Could you bring me a water, please?" She got no answer as the waitress retreated back to the bar. Janice, however, had already returned her attention back to the Black Cat, who had begun to unfasten the clasp that held her bikini top in place.

The spectators erupted as the top fell to the Black Cat's bare feet but the dancer had already lifted herself up the pole and had the back of her leg hooked around it, leaning back until she could survey the room upside down. She slowly slid down the pole until she was inches from the stage, her legs extended in another split, this time over her body. Dollar bills were spilling onto the stage and the Black Cat hadn't even started to work the crowd that had jammed themselves into the front row.

Janice hadn't dared move from her booth, though now that the Black Cat was stage-level, it was harder for her to see. She could see the woman's platinum blond hair bounce with movement as she crossed the stage in a crawl. Janice could only see the action from behind the first lucky man to slide a twenty dollar bill into that furry waistband. The Black Cat remained low for sometime, accumulating quite a bit of cash from what Janice could see when the woman finally stood again, her song coming to an end.

"The Black Cat!" the announcer shouted triumphantly at song's end. Blowing a kiss to the crowd, the new girl stooped to gather the money from the stage, tucking it anywhere she could, even using her slinky top to hold some of it. "She'll be working the floor later tonight so be sure to give her a lot of Kingpin's Lounge love. Coming up next, your favorite and mine: Dazzler!"

Janice didn't remain in her seat to watch Dazzler dance. Once she realized she wasn't getting her water, she got up from the booth to move to a table that was more centered in the club. She remained there until another waitress came by and did bring her a water, waiting and watching the door that the Black Cat would have to come from in order to conduct her floor shift.

When the Black Cat finally emerged from backstage, she was greeted by an onslaught of requests for private and lap dances. She was the belle of the ball as she made her rounds, smiling and laughing as dozens of men competed for her attention.

Janice was content to watch that first night and for weeks of other nights. She was drinking less, she found, as she watched the Black Cat dance, often just holding her glass for long moments as she stared transfixed at the stage. As such, she was waking up refreshed in the mornings, even after being at the Lounge until closing time, and getting more accomplished at work. The urge to call Annabelle gradually diminished until Janice was the one not answering text messages or returning phone calls. Eventually, she stopped wearing her wedding band entirely.


	3. Chapter 3

This went on until one particularly slow Tuesday night. Janice was at her usual table, her glass of Amaretto untouched beside her, wearing a well-tailored brown pantsuit with a light blue blouse. She'd had a good day at work and was celebrating in solitude when she noticed that the Black Cat was headed her way, wearing the little black and white fur number that had become her signature look.

"Have I got a deal for you, beautiful," the Black Cat said with a grin. She leaned over the table, her more than ample bosom threatening to spill out of her top. She walked the index and middle fingers of one hand across the table to pluck at Janice's sleeve. "Half off for a lap dance. What do you say?"

"Me?" Janice asked dimly, looking around as though the dancer could be speaking to anyone else. Her long brown hair, pinned professionally back, came loose with the motion.

The Black Cat giggled. "I'm starting to think you don't like me. I've seen you watch me but you never come to the stage and you never ask for a dance. You're hurting my feelings."

"You've noticed me?" Janice asked, dumbfounded. She quickly added, "Of course I like you. We all... like you..." she trailed off, realizing how stupid that sounded.

"Not a whole lot of women come in here dressed like they're about to dominate board meetings." The Black Cat flipped the lapel of Janice's top. "Come on, you'd be doing me a favor. Men go crazy when we dance for other women. My tips will skyrocket. Please?"

Janice was already reaching into her pocket for the money. The Black Cat squealed happily. "You're amazing! Thank you!"

"No, thank you," Janice managed. The Black Cat was already turning around to slide into her lap. Janice was vaguely aware of the hearty cheers coming from their audience. "Do I... should I just sit here?"

"Sure thing, gorgeous," the Black Cat purred as she rested her hands on the chair on either side of Janice's lap, lowering herself backwards between Janice's legs. The dancer's hair tickled Janice's chin and exposed collarbone. "Some people like to talk or want me to talk. It's up to you."

Janice didn't say anything right away. It felt awkward to sit there quietly as the Black Cat's mostly bare ass rubbed against her lap. "You are stunning."

"Aww, you're sweet," the Black Cat cooed, gazing up over her shoulder. Her blue eyes twinkled with delight as she received the compliment. "I'd say you say that to all the girls, but you never have anyone dance for you."

"Oh, no, there's no other..." Janice began to say but stopped herself.

The Black Cat giggled again and stood up. She draped her arms over Janice's shoulders and leaned deeply forward, giving her client an up close and personal view of her jiggling breasts. "You don't have to explain. I get it. I can be shy, too."

"I can't imagine you shy," Janice countered, shaking her head but keeping her eyes exactly where the Black Cat wanted them.

"Because I take my clothes off for money?" The Black Cat dropped into Janice's lap and leaned back. She let the sheer top she wore to fall from her arms to pool at Janice's feet. "I'm good at my job. There's no reason to be shy here."

The Black Cat sat back up and reached for the clip that held Janice's hair back. A sea of blond fell across Janice's shoulders. "You can unclip my bra, if you want," she breathed, their noses inches apart.

Janice could only nod as one hand shakily worked the clasp of the dancer's top. She couldn't help but grin as the back separated and freed the breasts that she had been fantasizing about for months. The Black Cat's bra slipped down her shoulders and exposed milky white flesh, capped by rosy peaks that stiffened with the cool air. There were wolf whistles from somewhere nearby but Janice could only look in awe at the woman in her lap.

"Mmmm, that's better, don't you think?" the Black Cat sighed. She pressed her breasts together and let them bounce apart. "So much better."

"My name is Janice," Janice gasped, trying to shift without appearing to be too lewd.

The Black Cat smiled and touched Janice's cheek. The song was ending. "Nice to meet you, Janice. Thanks for the dance."

Janice could only watch helplessly as the beautiful woman slipped from her lap. They looked at each other for a long moment before the Black Cat said, "I need the money before I move on to my next guest."

"Oh! Right, yes." Janice fumbled for the cash on the table to hand it to the dancer. "Here."

The Black Cat winked at Janice. "Thanks, Janice. You made my night."


End file.
